Phnom Penh

Gents,

Searched the forum, but no mention of the above hotel. Anyone know if it's girl friendly. Coming home at 1.00 a.m or so with 2 or potentially 3 girls in tow.

Help appreciated I'll be there on 13th, 14th June

[QUOTE=London1975]Gents,

Searched the forum, but no mention of the above hotel. Anyone know if it's girl friendly. Coming home at 1.00 a.m or so with 2 or potentially 3 girls in tow.

Help appreciated I'll be there on 13th, 14th June[/QUOTE]


From my experience, no problems.

[QUOTE=Pak Mike]From my experience, no problems.[/QUOTE]Many thanks Sir - You're a good man

I've spent three weeks in PP and here is some information I hope to contribute to this great forum.

Cambodian working girls are different from their Thai counterparts:

Cambodian girls are more shy. Many will not give BJs and many are even too shy to show you their breasts. They will cover their breasts and even refuse to take off their tops. Very shy. On the other hand, I found most have not had babies unlike in Thailand. Perhaps due to their more conservative thinking?

GoGo bars are also quite different. In Thailand, pretty much all the girls can be Barfined. Not in PP. If a bar has say 30 girls, maybe 13 of them can be barfined for boom boom. Most of them are there just to make the $60 standard salary and $1 lady drinks they get which usually add up to about $80/month on the low end and anything up to $200 for the really smart socialable girls. However, you can still barfine them all for $5 each, but they will only go drink and dance with you, no boom boom.

The pressure to have to buy the girls drinks is also much less in PP compared to Thailand. They will rarely blatently ask you for one. Which is a good thing. They will hang around you, just be a charming guy and be nice to them. I really like this aspect about PP.

104st, 108st, 136st, all have lots of bars. My advice is to have a beer in each and see which one you like. They change all the time and the girls move from bar to bar to work. Drop in, and have a good time and see if any girls like you. Afterall, when it comes down to it, its like the sperm and the egg. The egg ultimately does the choosing.

Sharky's - Nice quiet bar with many pool tables. You will find more freelancers here on Friday and Saturdays because they can't go into Heart of Darkness (due to the $3 entrance charge to the girls).

Heart of Darkness and Walkabout is where I spent most of my time. There are also many good bars around it like Howies, Blackcat, Shanghai and Pitstop.

Heart of Darkness - I love this place. Great decor and music and lots of freelancers. Drinks are resonable with Anchor beer and Tiger draft at $2. Pool table in the back. You can meet all sorts of ladies here and if charming enough, some will even stay with you for free. Also you will meet some rich or professional girls here looking for a fling sometimes. My only caution is that it can be tough in here for some guys as the girls here can be quite picky looking for handsome young guys. But many girls here are top notch on looks, so give it a try, I also liked the atmosphere and have met a lot of cool guys whom I ended up going to other bars with together, always more fun than going alone. Don't go before 11pm.

Walkabout - A good quiet pool bar with cheaper drinks than heart of D. A good place to wind down, sit on the balcony upstairs, shoot some pool. Dozens of freelancers in there, some can be picky, but you never know, girls want different things at different times. Staff is laid back, no pressure.

Howies - A great safe haven. Pool table, friendly girls albeit not the best lookers. But a great place to hang out and feel comfortable. Play some connect4 or just meet other travellers.

Shanghai - Loads of girls and nice looking place. But girls can be lazy and just chat away themselves outside. Their manager whips them to work, and its funny to see!

Food is generally very good in PP. You can almost randomly drop into any restaurant on the riverfront and find good burgers and pizzas. Under $6-7 out the door each meal. Local food places are great too, couple dollars and they usually are fair with prices unlike Vietnam. Take a girl that you like and have her take you to her favorite local eatery, always fun to do and you'll probably find some good cheap food.

Alley Cat cafe - Great burgers, but a bit hidden, not easy to find.

La Croisette - come here for the free wifi. Just order a drink or some food. Very comfortable to sit inside and shields you from the people trying to sell you things outside. Staff is courteous and wifi connection is strong. Love it. Five stars.

Green Vespa - Great Irish bar, kind owner. Good food.

Ba da Bing - fair pizza with good toppings. Delicious english sausages on their 'sausage pizza'

Sorya Mall - Good supermarket downstairs. Good food court upstairs. $1.5 a meal. Try the japanese/chinese hot pot place on 6th floor. Great views and the special menu is a great deal.

Paragon Mall - Nice mall, fair japanese restaurant upstairs. Good supermarket downstairs.

ATMs generally charge $2 especially the ANZ atms. But go to Sorya for the Canadia Bank atms. No charge there. There is also a bank on 130(?) three blocks from the riverfront that doesn't charge a fee.

Many massage places around. I didn't try the uber expensive places like Golden Towers or even U and Me spa. The $6 places are fair, with tip $8 damage. But there are many 5000riel places around and I would advice not to write them off. Give them a try. With a tip, its $2 out the door and the massage can be quite decent, just try around for a good masseuse. At $2, you can't lose.

Tuktuk drivers are not pushy. Just politely shake your head when you don't need their services.

Khmer I find to be a harder language than Thai. Saying the simplest require multiple syllable words.

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[QUOTE=Cowa Banga]Mr. Roger,

Good advice about mainting a cool head. Phnom Penh is a tiny town and word gets around fast. If you get a bad reputation, the girls will avoid you like the plague. For example, most Khmers and Vietnamese try to avoid doing business with the Nigerians because of their business habits.

For Other People,

When I'm at Martini's, I pay the Martini rate but when I'm at Club 99 or Holiday Disco, I pay their rate.

Every time I visit Phnom Penh, I always talk to the bar manager(Martini's) who happens to be a lady and a wealth of knowledge. One day, she and I had a conversation about the average barang monger, and in her opinion, the average barang can't differentiate between a good looking asian lady and an ugly asian lady. Hence, the average barang is unwilling to pay a higher price for the cuter girl.

I've also have become 'friends' with a few motor scooter guys who work in front of Paris Hotel located on Kampuchea Krom. They pretty much agree with the Martini bar manager. By the way, these same guys wanted to introduce me to a factory lady who was a parttime working lady. In fact, they wanted to introduce me to her as she was leaving the factory. I passed but there is always next time. Why am I telling you this? Maintain your good REPUTATION. If your reputation sucks, your selection will be limited or shut off completely.[/QUOTE]
Yup. I couldn't have put it in better words. And you are right, a REAL good Tuk-Tuk driver will save you tons of hassle, tons of money and get you laid beyond your abilities... ;-).

[QUOTE=Hummer Bird] Getting to the point, Cambodiana has its own girls (and they are perfect for you $100.00 bucks a pop) and because of its own fishbowl they do not allow girls to come in. Try the basement.[/QUOTE]I'm making my first trip to PP in a few days, just one night, and will be staying at the cambodiana (no choice). Is it really true that the hotel has a fishbowl? Is this is the "Guide to Guest Services" or something more subtle?

I'm still reading the board for other suggestions, but am all ear for any one night "can't miss" tips. I'll be there fairly early on day 1 and don't have to leave until midafternoon day 2. There seem to be some good tips on bars to hang out, ogle without too much pressure, and perhaps take out to a nearby safehouse.

BR

[QUOTE=London1975]Gents,

Searched the forum, but no mention of the above hotel. Anyone know if it's girl friendly. Coming home at 1.00 a.m or so with 2 or potentially 3 girls in tow.

Help appreciated I'll be there on 13th, 14th June[/QUOTE]
Never been in the Amanjaya, but it's usually booked solid with NGO staff. You'll see the white Landcruisers parked upfront...

[QUOTE=Berty Russ]I'm making my first trip to PP in a few days, just one night, and will be staying at the cambodiana (no choice). Is it really true that the hotel has a fishbowl? Is this is the "Guide to Guest Services" or something more subtle?

I'm still reading the board for other suggestions, but am all ear for any one night "can't miss" tips. I'll be there fairly early on day 1 and don't have to leave until midafternoon day 2. There seem to be some good tips on bars to hang out, ogle without too much pressure, and perhaps take out to a nearby safehouse.

BR[/QUOTE]
Berty,
It's a shame - just one night.... :-(. You'll regret that.
Try not to do everything, you won't succeed.
My advice is: Go to Phsar Thmei (Central Market) in the afternoon and then to Cyrcee's after 6pm or 7pm. Cyrcee's has always been my fav. Give two of the girls a try, a 3some is real good there. Depending on your mood and wants you could look around a bit in 102nd street, possibly make another pop if something catches your eye.
You may want to have dinner in one of the restaurants on Sisowath Quai and have a look through the nearby bars. Happy Man is good (for drinking, not for mongering...).
You can hit Martini's after 9 pm, that's where the action is.
With only one day I'd skip HOD and Sharky's.
Sharky's is best between 11 pm and 1 am.
Cheers and have fun,
Kenny

[QUOTE=Berty Russ]

I'm still reading the board for other suggestions, but am all ear for any one night "can't miss" tips. I'll be there fairly early on day 1 and don't have to leave until midafternoon day 2. There seem to be some good tips on bars to hang out, ogle without too much pressure, and perhaps take out to a nearby safehouse.[/QUOTE]

I don't know about the Cambodiana fishbowl, but it's probably nothing compared to fishbowls in Bangkok. In terms of sheer number of girls available, Martini is the one with the most by a good margin (in a bar setting at least). It's a very big bar with an area of tables in the middle, a bar up a few steps with some stools and 3 billiards tables, and then a separate room as a disco. Dozens of girls -- when I was there in Feb, I'd guess it was about 60 there. Those bars up on street 102 an that area all just have a handful of girls in each. If you just have one night, I wouldn't bother with massage or karaokes or small bars as your go-to place. Martini would fit the one-stop bill. It's easy, its big, comfortable, and you can sit back and watch the girls all walk by and make your pick. No hidden fees or inside info you need.

[QUOTE=Wendella] ... Martini would fit the one-stop bill. It's easy, its big, comfortable, and you can sit back and watch the girls all walk by and make your pick. No hidden fees or inside info you need.[/QUOTE]


Agree with Wendella, Martini should be the best bet; plenty of choice, not very pushy, enough lighting to see your picks (except the disco area).

Walkwabout is alright as well but I personally feel the selection at Martini to be better.

Thank everybody. Wendella I recognize from the Viet board. I've been reading the forum, and have a general impression about the follow questions, but I hope I can still ask them directly without getting flamed:

1. Sounds like ST take out at Martini is $10-20 USD. Correct? Is it a bar fine situation? How much? Do they have their own ST room?

2. How about Cyrcee?

3. By moto you mean motorbikes, right? (When I was in Siem Riep recently it was all tuk-tuk.) What's the going rate, say from a hotel on the river to Martinis; having the guy wait while I'm in a bar? airport to hotel?

4. Should I just bring USD? I'm coming from Vietnam and some people tell me they take the Vietnamese dong, which I'd prefer to do because of a quasi currency crisis here (hard to buy dollars). What about just using the local currency? Will they change VN Dong to their currency?

5. I'm a western guy but speak a little vietnamese and enjoy chatting with the girls in their own language. Are viets everywhere, or do some bars specialize?

6. I'm so used to the conservative hotel policies in Vietnam that I'm having trouble believing my hotel (Cambodiana) is GF. What's the drill at the front desk, if any?

Okay, I may be exhausting my good will.

Thanks!

BR

[QUOTE=Berty Russ]Thank everybody. Wendella I recognize from the Viet board. I've been reading the forum, and have a general impression about the follow questions, but I hope I can still ask them directly without getting flamed:

1. Sounds like ST take out at Martini is $10-20 USD. Correct? Is it a bar fine situation? How much? Do they have their own ST room?

2. How about Cyrcee?

3. By moto you mean motorbikes, right? (When I was in Siem Riep recently it was all tuk-tuk.) What's the going rate, say from a hotel on the river to Martinis; having the guy wait while I'm in a bar? airport to hotel?

4. Should I just bring USD? I'm coming from Vietnam and some people tell me they take the Vietnamese dong, which I'd prefer to do because of a quasi currency crisis here (hard to buy dollars). What about just using the local currency? Will they change VN Dong to their currency?

5. I'm a western guy but speak a little vietnamese and enjoy chatting with the girls in their own language. Are viets everywhere, or do some bars specialize?

6. I'm so used to the conservative hotel policies in Vietnam that I'm having trouble believing my hotel (Cambodiana) is GF. What's the drill at the front desk, if any?

Okay, I may be exhausting my good will.

Thanks!

BR[/QUOTE]1. Yes $10 -20 in Martinis for ST. However, $10 wont get you much of a looker. Maybe I am fussy but $20 is probably more accurate for anything of quality. The nicer ones seem to get taken early and instead of settling for $10 they are willing to hang around for a mongerer with some cash. There is no bar fine at Martinis. Mama sans may ask for a tip, but I usually ignore them, unless they organise me an absolute stunner. There are ST hotels within walking distance and they cost between $5-$15 depending on your negotiating skills.

2. LCC no longer has ST service in-house. They now send you to a hotel nearby. Ive never been. I usually grab em for LT. For ST its $7 bar fine $20 to the girl or $40 for LT back at your Hotel. From my experience BBBJ is a 99% guarantee.

3. Yes moto means motorbike. $1 to most places around town. Ive been quoted $1.50 from the river to Martinis. Double or even triple that for tuk-tuk drivers. At the riverfront there are motos everywhere. They'll find you. At Martinis you dont have to get him to wait, but it might be a good idea if he gave you a fair price. Motos abound wherever mongerers are.

4. The US$ is king. Maybe some local cash may be good for tips. Just get lots of $1 bills. I am unsure if Dong can be exchanged. Maybe the ANZ bank in PP has a webpage.

5. There are definitely Viet only bars in PP. The names escape me, but maybe someone else could help out. Ask a mongerer upon arrival. There are often freelancer Viets at Sharkeys, Martinis and Heart of Darkness.

6. About the Cambodiana I do not know, but Id be shocked if they knocked you back. If they do deny you a night of pleasure with your lady, then check-out! Plenty of other hotels about. I doubt the front desk staff will have any reaction to your mongering at all. Never had a lady asked for ID.

Most hotels and bars have the free PP night guide, which is worth a look for a first timer.

Hopefully some others may be able to fill-in my information gaps.

Enjoy!

Luke

[QUOTE=Berty Russ]1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. [/QUOTE]

You don't need to worry too much about getting flamed, ding dong the wicked witch is dead, if you know what I mean.

Adding 2 cents to what Luke just said...

1. At Martini, if you negotiate as if you know what the going rate is, they'll pick up on that and not try to screw you over too badly. I prefer taking one back to my own room, which is fine anywhere in PP. Who knows what strange room you'll end up in if you go to some nearby ST hotel.

2. Don't know Cyrcee too well. Been there, not my favorite scene.

3. No good reason to have a motorbike guy wait for you at Martini -- they always have a bunch of them waiting outside there to take customers. I always bring the business card of my hotel with me so its easy to tell a new driver where to go.

4. Bring US$ if you can. It's the commonly used currency there for all amounts $1 and over. They just use Cambodian for change. There are plenty of spots where you can exchange Vietnam Dong for dollars or riel, but the problem is the rate isn't very good going from VND to USD or even to Cambodian Riel (and you don't want stacks of riel anyway, you want $). The exchange places are all around the Central Market - and they usually display their exchange rates on their glass counters, along with bills taped up inside the glass to indicate that this is a money exchange place. With so many around, you can go around and comparison shop for a slightly better exchange rate -- just write down on a slip of paper what you're after (eg VND -> USD) and they'll show you the rate on their calculator. Maybe someone who's actually there in Phnom Penh now might be good enough to find out what the current rate is and post here. My bet is it'd cost well over 18,000 dong to get a dollar. I'll bet further and say that you can get a better rate selling VND for USD at the gold shops in Ho Chi Minh City -- namely those on Cong Quynh street near the market. Use same method as above to find the best rate available.

5. Viets are very common in PP. I'd guess at least half in Martini, Sharkey, Cyrcee, etc are VN.

6. No idea.

Met a very petite Khmer in DV8 named Dahlin about 3 months ago. Shy at first but great multiple bbbj's for $20 LT. She had no phone. Went back a couple of times and couldn't find her and her friends said they didn't know where she was. Didn't say she didn't work there just didn't know where she was. I guess she could have been taken for a couple of weeks by some monger (she definitely would be worth it).

I might put PP on my SEA agenda for next month if I knew she still worked there. If anyone finds her at DV8 or where ever it's worth a few beers at Sharkey's. Let me know.

Thanks guys.

As of this past couple weeks LCC is no longer charging a barfine for STs. Apparently business was just getting too slow.

For ST its $7 bar fine